Photo: SounderBruce · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Illinois, Elgin is healthier than 42% of graded towns
Elgin differs from Illinois on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elgin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elgin
Every town around Elgin scores healthier
All nine graded neighbors are ahead of Elgin’s B, from Hanover Township (A−) to Campton Hills (A+). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Elgin
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.9%), vs 15.9% across Illinois. Housing insecurity (17.3% vs 13.2%) and no reliable transportation (9.9% vs 8%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 6 working-age adults in Elgin has no health insurance
16.8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Illinois. Checkups ↓
Elgin has a top-rated hospital
Saint Joseph Hospital-Elgin is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Illinois figure falls outside Elgin’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Elgin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elgin is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #448 of 767 in Illinois. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 73% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 35%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Elgin’s median household income is $90,282; among the 9,912 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$113K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
At 115,476 residents, Elgin is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Elgin and the towns around it
Elgin’s Health Grade ranks 10th of 10 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elgin | B | 35.8% | 12.1% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Campton Hills | A+ | 31.5% | 9.1% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| West Dundee | A | 32.5% | 9.3% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| Bartlett | A | 27.4% | 9.6% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| Pingree Grove | A | 32.4% | 8.2% | 9% | CDC place |
| South Elgin | A− | 34% | 9.8% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Elgin Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Dundee Township | A− | 34% | 10.7% | 10.7% | ZIP codes |
Elgin Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17% of Elgin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Elgin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Care in and near Elgin
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Elgin, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Elgin; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Elgin adults…
Elgin runs below IL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 76 parks and preserves
How Elgin adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Elgin adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elgin adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elgin
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elgin is better than Illinois on 4 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Elgin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elgin | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.4%19.4–23.6 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.8–14.4 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.5–17.7 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.8%31.3–40.9 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.8–13.6 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.5%26.8–32.6 | 33% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%30.7–36.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.6%19.5–24 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.5–10.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.8–6.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–5.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%9.4–13.4 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%10.9–13.8 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.6%23.5–30.1 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.8–20.9 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.8%32.5–41.8 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.8%15.1–18.7 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.8%71.8–77.9 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60%57–63.3 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.6–86.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.8%70–75.6 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.8%52.7–61.2 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.4%67.3–79.5 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.7%16.3–21.4 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.3%30.5–38.2 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.3%24.2–30.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.9%18.8–22.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.3%15.5–19.2 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.9%8.9–10.9 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17%15.1–18.9 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.4%25.6–31.6 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.7%11.4–14.1 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.8–15.6 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.5–6.4 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.3–8.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Illinois figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Elgin
Is Elgin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elgin is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #448 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elgin?
CDC estimates 35.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 40.9%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elgin?
Saint Joseph Hospital-Elgin in Elgin, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Elgin’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elgin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.1–18.7%), against 9.9% across Illinois.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Elgin more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elgin.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.